Private pleasure: Christophe Lemaire realises a hyperluxurious, nonchalant wardrobe for the French house

Christophe Lemaire is a master at creating a nonchalant and refined way of dressing with his own label, inspired by tomes such as the 1970s cult style manual “Cheap Chic” written by Carol Troy and Caterine Milinaire. He’s spent a few seasons figuring out how to marry that up with the iconic classicism of Hermès. For AW 13, Lemaire has gone for clothes that women need, rather than overwrought fantasies. Easy-breezy mid-calf skirts and loose trousers in the house’s signature soft skins are paired with options of outerwear that could all be thrown into the French chic category. An air of mystery pervaded the capes, the inky ponyskin dress and the way the women looked like their had an air of film noir about them. All the better to hang those Birkin and Kelly bags off of their arms.